Cleansing Your Body Through Fasting
HOW TO CLEANSE YOUR BODY
Most people take baths and showers to keep the outside of their bodies clean. But they do very little to keep the inside of their bodies clean. (Which is even more important.)
Even if you are following the cleanest diet, you will still be getting some toxins in your body because there is so much pollution in the world. But fortunately, there is a way to remove some of the toxins that have built up in your body, and it's called "cleansing".
There are a lot of different ways to cleanse the body, but the one that I feel is the most natural and the most effective is "fasting".
FASTING
A lot of our daily energy goes to digesting the foods that we eat, and if you go on a fast, your body won't simply "take it easy" and do nothing. Rather, it will work hard on the things that it normally doesn't have enough time or energy for because there is constantly new food entering the body that needs to be digested, assimilated, and eliminated.
Our bodies have the "potential" to heal themselves of just about anything, but if the inside of your body has become a toxic environment where disease can easily manifest and thrive, fasting may be the best way to give your body a chance to truly work its magic.
The best analogy that I can use to describe fasting is to imagine that a grocery store closed but all of the employees still kept showing up to work as usual. This might sound crazy because without customers the store would go out of business, but if there were no customers, a lot of things could get done that there normally isn't time for.
While the store is closed for business, all of the walls could be re-painted, all of the shelves could be re-arranged, and all of the old electrical wirings could be taken out and replaced with faster and more energy-efficient wiring which would save the store a lot of money each year, and once all of this "remodeling" is finished, it would look and feel like a brand-new store on the inside, and they could have a big "Grand Re-Opening". The same thing happens on the inside of your body when you go on a fast.
3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF FASTING
1. WATER FASTING
A "water fast" is when you only consume water for an extended period of time.
This is the most powerful form of fasting on this list, but if you are new to fasting, I would encourage you to try one of the other two forms of fasting first...
2. JUICE FASTING
A "juice fast" is when you only consume the juice from fruits and vegetables for an extended period of time.
"Juice fasting" is a lot easier than "water fasting", because even though you aren't "eating" anything, you will still be consuming an enormous amount of vitamins and minerals. (Probably even more than you would if you were eating.) So you will be getting a lot of nourishment which will help you to feel less hungry.
I recommend that you make all of your juices at home with a juice machine instead of buying bottled juices from grocery stores because store-bought juices are usually pasteurized, are far from fresh, and a lot of them contain unhealthy and toxic additives. (Which kind of defeats the purpose of doing a "detox".)
If you need some motivation to go on a juice fast and you want to learn more about how to do it, I highly recommend that you watch the documentaries " Fat Sick and Nearly Dead" or "Super Juice Me!" on YouTube.
3. INTERMITTENT FASTING
An "intermittent fast" is when you eat, but you only eat within a short window of time during the day. (Like if you only eat between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, and then for the next 16 hours you fast.)
We all know that "what" we eat is very important, but "when" we eat can also be very important.
I know from experience that if I eat shortly before I go to sleep, I won't sleep as well as I will if I go to sleep on an empty stomach. I also know that if I eat as soon as I wake up, I won't feel as energized as I will if I get some exercise in before eating breakfast.
I have also noticed that I feel better if I eat the lightest and easiest-to-digest foods early in the day and I save the heaviest and hardest-to-digest foods later in the day.
The easiest thing for us to digest is water, the next easiest is coconut water, the next is juice, then juicy fruits, then non-juicy fruits, then vegetables that can be eaten raw, then nuts and seeds, then cooked foods, then processed foods, etc.
So regardless of what you eat, try to eat the foods that are the easiest to digest first and the foods that are the hardest to digest last, and try give to yourself a few hours to digest your last meal before you go to sleep.
It is while we are sleeping that our bodies focus on repairing themselves, so try to go to bed on an empty stomach so your body can focus on healing rather than digesting and so the nutrition that you consumed during the day will all be broken down and ready for your body to use at night for repairs.
6 SIGNS THAT YOU ARE TOXIC AND SHOULD FAST
Our bodies are in a constant state of "detoxing" whether we realize it or not, but if you are smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, drinking a case of beer a night, or eating unhealthy foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you are likely taking in toxins a lot faster than they can realistically be eliminated, and the toxic build-up will eventually turn into a serious problem if you don't do some kind of special detoxing.
Below are 6 signs that your body is in a state of toxic overload...
1. YOUR URINE
If the inside of your body is toxic, your urine will be dark yellow and have a strong odor to it.
Whether you are consuming too many toxins, or you simply aren't consuming enough water to dilute them, going on a fast from food and making sure that you are drinking plenty of water is a great way to rehydrate and help flush out toxins.
The Ultimate Goal - Be so well hydrated that your urine is almost as clear and odorless as the water you drink.
2. YOUR STOOL
What do babies and healthy adults have in common? Pretty much any time they eat a meal they have a bowel movement.
(1 meal in = 1 meal out)
Having a bowel movement should be as easy and effortless as blinking an eye, but some people are so constipated that they will keep a small library of books in their bathroom because of how long and laborious it is for them to have a bowel movement.
If you eat a clean diet and your digestion is working optimally, the foods that enter your body will exit your body before they have a chance to rot and putrefy. But if you eat an unhealthy diet and your digestion is slow and sluggish, the foods that you eat will start to rot when they are still inside of you. (Which means that they are going to smell terrible when they finally exit your body.)
The Ultimate Goal - Have effortless and odorless bowel movements after each meal.
3. YOUR BODY ODOR
If the inside of your body is toxic, you will have a strong body odor. And if the inside of your body is clean, you will not have a strong body odor. (It really is that simple.)
The Ultimate Goal - Never need or use deodorant again.
4. YOUR MOOD
If the inside of your body is toxic, it will almost certainly show in your mood. Once you have cleaned up your diet and have gone through some detoxing, you will start to notice that you don't get as irritated over things as you used to.
The Ultimate Goal - Have a friendly aura.
5. YOUR SKIN
Your skin is a reflection of your inner health, and if eating greasy "junk foods" causes you to develop acne and other skin problems, then you already know this to be true.
Our skin has millions of pores (which is clear evidence that we were designed to sweat) and one of the most powerful and natural ways to detox is through sweating.
When was the last time that you were completely covered in sweat? If it has been so long that you can't even remember, then I recommend that you start sweating on a daily basis either through exercise or by taking saunas, and that you replace the sweat that you lose with clean water and water-rich, nutrient-rich foods.
The Ultimate Goal - Have clear and glowing skin that people compliment you about.
6. YOUR HEALTH
Any veterinarian will tell you that if an animal is sick, they will stop eating.
We naturally lose our appetites when we get sick, and the reason for this is that our body is being attacked by a virus, and it is trying to fight the virus off before it can spread and take over the rest of the body. So the last thing your body needs at a time like that is to have to take energy away from defending itself so it can digest another meal.
Unfortunately, a lot of people have been conditioned to ignore the natural instinct to stop eating when they are sick and have been convinced that if they don't eat when they are sick, their bodies will be too weak to fight off the sickness.
If you decide to eat when you are sick, I would encourage you to at least eat clean and eat light, because if you eat something that you know full well is bad for you when you are sick, or if you over-eat when you are sick, you will be feeding the sickness more than you will be feeding your body.
The Ultimate Goal - Never get sick again.
WARNING
There is a good chance that if you go on a fast, you will experience what is known as a "Healing Crisis". (When there is so much detoxing that you develop "sickness-like symptoms".)
Your body has 7 organs that are designed to eliminate toxins (colon, kidneys, lungs, liver, blood, lymphatic system, and skin) and when massive amounts of toxins are being eliminated from the body, these 7 organs are going to be working a lot harder than normal, which can result in the following symptoms...
- You feel tired and want to stay in bed.
- You feel dizzy upon standing.
- You have to use the bathroom more than normal.
- You lose weight.
- You have bad breath and body odor.
- You develop skin eruptions such as rashes, acne, and itching.
- You feel irritable and experience mood swings.
- You feel old injuries start to flare up and hurt again.
- You develop a temporary white coating on your tongue.
- You feel cold in your hands and feet.
- You develop flu-like symptoms such as a runny nose, cough, and fever.
These symptoms may give you the impression that something is wrong, but they are usually just a sign that your body is "cleaning house", and once the cleanse is over, the symptoms will be over as well.
Because we all come from different backgrounds, everyone's detox is going to be different. (Some will be mild, and some will be intense.) And as great as fasting can be, certain people shouldn't fast right now.
People who shouldn't fast right now include pregnant women, people on medications that need to be taken with food, people who are suffering from nutritional deficiencies, and people who are in a compromised physical or mental state and can't handle strong detox symptoms.
To be on the safe side, you should seek out the supervision of a qualified professional faster rather than doing a fast alone.
6 TIPS FOR FASTING
1. FAST FROM MORE THAN JUST FOOD
Not only will you not get as much out of a fast if you spend it watching television or surfing the internet, but you will likely be getting exposed to images of food or mentions of food. (Which can make being on a fast feel a lot more difficult.)
It would be wise to stay home and just rest during your fast because even if you feel physically to go to work or go the the gym and workout during a fast, it will mean that a lot of physical and mental energy that could be going towards healing will have to be spent on other things instead.
So for maximum healing, try to spend your fast resting, and try to avoid any media distractions about what is happening in the outside world so that you can truly focus on what is happening inside of you.
2. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Although you can technically fast anywhere in the world, if you try to fast at home and you live with people who will be eating around you or cooking foods that you can smell, or they don't understand fasting and will be trying to pressure you to eat something, it will be similar to a recovering alcoholic going to a bar with the intention of just drinking water.
My best fasting experience was when I fasted in "Costa Rica" because I had warm weather, clean air, and beautiful natural scenery, and the people I was staying with had a lot of experience with fasting and were supportive and helpful.
So please go out of your way to find a location to fast where you will have all of the comfort and support that you will need to have the biggest and best rest that you've ever had!
3. PREPARE MENTALLY FOR THE HUNGER
We have all been conditioned to eat when we're happy, eat when we're sad, eat when we're being entertained, and eat when we're bored. And because we've been conditioned to eat as an emotional reflex, and because fasting can be such an emotional experience, it makes the idea of fasting seem a lot harder than it actually is.
Back when I was younger, I used to say and believe that I was "starving" if I had to eat a meal an hour or two later than normal. But now if I were to find myself in a situation where I was going to have to go an entire week without eating, I would simply look at it as a "fast" and enjoy it rather than suffer.
If you want to do a "water fast", something very important that you should know ahead of time is that if you consume nothing but water for a few days, any feelings of hunger should disappear around day 3.
Our bodies are designed to hold onto excess food that we consume as fat that can be used as fuel if food is ever scarce, and if you don't consume any food for a few days in a row, your body will start consuming stored body fat for energy. Once this happens, your body will be getting enough nourishment from the fat that it will stop producing "hunger pangs" and stop putting images of food in your mind to make you want to eat.
Any time that I've ever done a "water fast", I not only stopped feeling hungry by day 3, but I spent the remainder of the fast enjoying the liberating feeling of not needing to eat.
But to reach the point where you no longer feel any hunger, you must refrain from eating or drinking ANYTHING except plane water for about 3 days, because even a small snack or small drink that contains some calories will "break the fast" and will cause your body to crave more calories.
4. TRUST YOUR BODY
If you go on a fast, you and your body might have 2 different agendas.
In your mind, you may be hoping for external results that you can easily see any time you look in the mirror. (Like looking thinner, looking younger, or having clearer-looking skin.)
But your body may be far more concerned with fixing internal problems that are far more serious and urgent.
During your fast, try to let go of superficial expectations, and trust that your body will work on the things that are truly the most important for your long-term health and well-being.
5. NO CONTEST!
Do not go on a fast if your motivation to do it is being able to tell people that you fasted for ____ days, or that you lost ____ pounds.
Fasting is serious business, and although it can be very safe, it can turn dangerous if someone is listening to their ego more than their body.
6. END THE FAST CAREFULLY
- Make sure that you end your fast gently
The reason that the first meal of the day is called "breakfast" is because while you are sleeping you are technically "fasting", and therefore, the first meal that you eat after you wake up will "break the fast".
But for fasts that last a lot longer than overnight, you need to be extra mindful about how you "break the fast".
During a fast, your stomach will shrink and your metabolism will slow down, so it's important to reintroduce food to your body slowly.
The first meal that you eat after a long fast should be small, and each meal after that should get a little bit bigger until you can comfortably eat a normal-sized meal.
- Make sure that you chew your food well
Keep in mind that digestion begins in the mouth when the foods that you eat get broken down with your teeth and coated with saliva that contains digestive enzymes. So make it a point to start chewing your food better.
- Make sure that you eat healthier than you used to
The benefits of fasting will be very short-lived if once your fast is over you go right back to the way of eating that made you feel the need to go on a fast in the first place. Even if fasting can help give you the gift of a new and improved body, it is ultimately up to you to keep it that way by taking good care of it.
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